When it comes to news out of the White House, there are a lot of things we care about. The antics of the dogs, is probably not one of those things in the long run. Even as a dog-centric website, we understand that there are more important things to pay attention to when it comes to what is happening in the White House.
However, recently news broke that President Joe Biden’s dog Commander had been involved in an 11th biting incident at the White House. It has led to discussions from the media about the dog and what they believe should be happening. But it has also led to different journalists talking about previous dogs who lived at the White House.
And according to The Daily Beast, it seems as if one Fox anchor made the statement that President George W. Bush’s dog, Barney, never bit someone when he was at the White House. Unfortunately for John Roberts (the anchor in question), that is entirely false.
President George W. Bush had his own dog biting incidents at the White House
In fact, there is actual video evidence of the dog biting a Reuters reporter at the time. So while the media may want to act like Commander Biden is a menace and the only dog to ever get snippy, they are wrong and they are doing it to make a point that doesn’t need to be made.
And it wasn’t just a reporter that Bush’s dog, Barney, bit. “Barney also bit the wrist of Boston Celtics public relations director Heather Walker during the NBA team’s championship visit to the White House that September .”
So yes, Barney also bit people. And this makes us think that the Fox anchor who said otherwise hasn’t done his research before making a statement like this.
We never really used to hear about the dogs and pets of the White House as much as we have recently. Yes, these pets would make the news, especially depending on which President we are talking about and what their relationship might have been with their pet. However, the news that has spread about the Biden dogs has been downright ridiculous.
From the evil comments about Champ Biden, who was a senior dog that a reporter compared to a “junkyard” dog, to the repeated attacks on Major Biden, the news has been using the Biden’s pets as a continuous source of drama. And as shameful as that may be, we do understand that a White House dog biting someone is news and it is important to report on.
The problem comes when we act like the Biden dogs are the only dogs who have ever had an issue while living at the White House surrounded by strangers coming and going at all times.
President George W. Bush’s dog Barney definitely did the exact same thing that both Major and Commander have been accused of. And we need to be more honest about things like this when we start reporting on what a White House dog has done.